In Search of Freedom
by DreamsReality
Summary: Harry searches the grounds at night for that elusive freedom he so longs for. What he finds is so much more.
1. I'll Try You

_Summery – Harry wonders the grounds at night, in search of freedom. What he finds shocks him, but brings him back for more._

_Words – 1,746_

_Pairing – Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy._

_Is it always so dark? _Harry thought to himself as she meandered around the black lake. Those emerald eyes wandered everywhere, across the rippling surface of the water, into the dense blackness that was the forest – with its hundreds of eyes that peered out to watch passer-byes with hunger gleaming – and then there was the most ancient tree ever to stand on the Hogwarts grounds, the ominous _Whomping Willow_. There was no wind, this particular night, and the air was perfectly clear, so it puzzled Harry as to why the water was moving so peculiarly and why there was a shadowed fog rolling across the lakes exterior. In the moonlight, Harry could see the occasional tentacle of the Giant Squid as it explored the freedom of its domain, chasing after a late night snack.

The raven haired boy pondered for a moment the consequences of getting caught out of be so late at night, but it didn't bother him enough to make him want to go back to his dormitory. It was just so cramped that he felt caged. It was not Harry's spirit to be confined like an animal. He needed air. He needed his own space. That was why he loved flying so much. The feel of the wind as it ripped through his hair, the sting of rain as it pelted his face, but oddly enough, he loved the feel of cold air. The way it went straight through his body like a knife through butter. He loved it. Closing his eyes he could feel the icy wind of his imaginary December air as it cut through the thin tee shirt he wore. Unfortunately, that distinct frozen air was still three months away.

_Actually, _Harry thought to himself, _it's only two months away._ He was right, of course. It was already late into October, Halloween was three days away. Harry adored Halloween. But, especially the way the Muggles celebrated it. It was always so funny to see the little Muggle children waddling down the streets in witch masks that were green and warty. It was truly hysterical.

He'd already picked out his costume for the Halloween Ball Hogwarts was holding. He couldn't wait to see the look on Hermione and Ron's face as he waltzed in dressed in an unnecessarily long black velvet cape, lined with red silk. The outside of the cloak was etched with the red outline of a roaring lion and a singing phoenix that moved around magically, and whose roar and song harmonized perfectly. He'd found that in the bottom of a trunk in a box in some little hole-in-the-wall shop he'd been in when he'd gong to Romania with Hermione and Ron's family. He didn't show it to anyone, not yet. He knew Mrs. Weasley would reprimand him from spending his money on it, when she could have made one for him. And though he appreciated everything she gave him, he wanted this particular cloak, he'd even managed to get the price down a few hundred galleons. _No one needs to know that I modified the clerks mind_, he laughed to himself, _that'll be my secret._

But, the look would only increase in value as he removed the cloak. He'd once been to a retro shop in downtown London called _Draio Sraidbhaile_, and found this shirt that looked as though it could have belonged to Shakespeare himself. It had long bell sleeves that were cuffed at the wrists, and buttoned halfway up his forearm. The material was very billowy and the most brilliant white he'd ever seen. But what sold him on it was the collar. Three quarters or the way around his neck, the collar crawled up stiffly, giving him the look of a very proper, very stuck up man of prominence, but the front was very low cut and laced up with white silk. He'd decided the white on white didn't do it for him, so he changed the silk string to a deep crimson, before lacing it back.

The pants were his next favorite – they were black relaxed cotton, very low slung, and it bother him a little because he'd have to go commando, but it made the perfectly toned muscles of his stomach and hip-flexors stand out quite intensely. It was perfect.

Then, there were the shoes. He'd found those in a vintage shop -- _Soutenir Dans le Temps_ – down the street from the retro one. They were biker boots from the nineteen-fifties. Black biker boots from the nineteen-fifties. Black biker boots with sterling silver buckles from the nineteen-fifties. He'd wanted to wear them so many times since he'd bought them, but decided to save them for the Halloween Party – and so he did.

While he'd been thinking so longingly about the look on Ron and Hermione's face, he hadn't paid any attention to where he was walking, and had gone all the way around the Black Lake. When it finally hit him, he realized he was standing between the Black Lack and the Forest, he jumped a little. The fog had thickened quite a bit, and Harry couldn't help but furrow his brows at the oddness of the fog on such a clear night. Just as he'd decided to make his way back to the castle, and his bed, something stepped on a twig at the edge of the forest and he froze.

Someone was walking from the thick forest, wrapped in a ragged black cloak. But, Harry knew who it was by the way he stalked. The lanky shadow moved up the path towards the castle, trying desperately not to be seen. But it was too late. Harry was running behind trying and succeeding to not make a sound. Slowing to a fast walk, Harry moved a few feet behind the cloaked man. _Thank Merlin for this cloak!_ He'd thrown his fathers Invisibility Cloak over his body when he'd recognized the man.

As a wicked grin pulled at the corners of Harry's mouth, he thought of something perfect to further scare the trembling boy, "Draco…" Harry whispered so softly, it sounded like the wind had carried it for miles.

Draco froze. He turned agonizingly slowly towards where Harry stood invisible. "Who… Who's there!?" He demanded, his voice quivering.

"Draco…" Harry called again, moving so close to Draco's back that his breath moved the strayed hairs on the blonde's head.

Harry jumped back just in time to miss the fist hurling at his face, as Draco had put all of his weight behind the punch, he fell flat on his face when he'd collided with nothing but the thick air. Suppressing a laugh, Harry moved so he could see the look on Draco's face.

His laugh died prematurely in his throat. Draco looked horrible. To say he was pale would be an understatement. He looked dead. Fresh blood dripped down his chin and neck, while those silver grey eyes that normally flashed contempt looked terrified, yet oddly lustful. It was the strangest look Harry had ever seen. On anyone.

When Draco stood up, he looked hastily around him, and yelled to the open air, "Don't even think about coming back!"

Again, Harry couldn't stop himself, "Or you'll what, Draco?" He was even surprised by the mysteriousness of his own voice. He liked it.

Those silver eyes sparked an ice blue in the night and he lifted his chin. The look on his face turned to straight dominance as he stalked to where Harry stood. It was sort of frightening, even though Harry knew Draco couldn't see him, he sensed that Draco could… Feel him, feel the heat pulsing from his flesh, and hear the sound of his heart racing. Harry had to admit to himself that it was oddly alluring.

"Try me," was all Draco said. He sounded so confident Harry couldn't help but quiver as Draco's breath flittered the material of the Invisibility Cloak. The raven hair boy looked into those silvery-blue eyes of the blonde boy and smiled.

When nothing happened, Draco turned, and strode with determination up toward the castle. The smile on Harry's lips remained as he pulled the cloak from his body, "I'll try you, Draco." His voice was still that eerie ghost of a sound as it rode the wind to caress Draco's ear.

Again, the blonde froze and turned slowly towards the sound. His brow arched, and that lustful look in his eyes only intensified, "Potter." 

"Malfoy."

"I should have known it was you, just wait until I tell Snape you were outside the castle at this hour," he sneered.

"That's fine. I'll just tell McGonagall that you came out of the Forest," Harry smiled innocently, and shrugged.

"You wouldn't, _Golden Boy."_

"Oh, I would, _Ferret," _Those green eyes sparkled like fire in the darkness.

Draco was on top of Harry before either of them knew what happened. Harry was sprawled out on the damp grass, and Draco straddled his hips, those silver eyes now the most interesting blue Harry had ever seen.

Draco growled in the back of his throat, he could feel every ounce of blood as it coursed through Harry's vein, he could see the throb of the raven hair boys jugular vein at it pulsed. It was killing him. The blonde leaned down close to the other boy's face, and hissed into his ear, "Let's just keep this between us, shall we?"

As Draco pulled away, Harry could have sworn his canine teeth were growing. And they were. The lustful look Draco gave Harry scared him, but aroused him at the same time. Trailing his tongue over the pearly white fangs, Draco laughed.

"We'll keep this between the two of us too, won't we, Harry?" Before Harry could stop him, Draco was kissing him intently, letting his fangs caress Harry's tongue, and nibbling a little on Harry's bottom lip. Before he could stop himself, he felt one fang tear a small cut in Harry's lip. The sweetest thing he'd ever tasted poured into Draco's mouth, and he licked at it eagerly. The raven haired boy's blood tasted like courage, lust, loyalty, love, laughter, fire and strength. The pure essence of all of those feelings rushed into Draco, and he pulled away at the sheer passion of it all.

The blonde stood up, and shook his head, "I'm sorry, Harry." And he ran, faster than Harry imagined possible. His heart sank in his chest as his body pulsed between his thighs. "Holy, shit."

_**I intended this to be a one shot, but it would seem that there's more in my fingers that I thought. Tell me what you think, and if you guys like it… I'll write another chapter! Hope you enjoy, because I really liked writing it! **_


	2. Don't Scare Me Like That

_Summery -- Harry wanders the grounds at night, in search of freedom. What he finds shocks him, but brings him back for more._

_ Words -- 1,559_

_Pairing -- Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. _

Draco woke up the next morning, sprawled out on his bed still dressed from the night before. He looked around his room for any sign of life and strained his ears to hear movement in the common room, but found nothing. Then, those silver eyes caught a glance at the clock, it read quarter after noon. No wonder no one was there, everyone had gone down to the Great Hall for lunch. Vaguely he remembered that he had been seen coming back to the castle the night previous, but he paid it no mind, for the only thing he remembered was that the other person had told him that he would tell if Draco told. Naturally, that wouldn't do, so the blonde decided to keep his mouth shut, for once.

As usually, flashes from his _activities_ pulsed behind his eyes, but thankfully he had learned to black out the screams and the visions of blood. Only a few times did he actually remember what he did once his _change_ became final for the evening. He had taught himself to treat that side of himself as a completely different entity. Draco – himself – was aware of what was happening, but Draco – his other side – had complete control. It was an odd feeling, really, knowing what your body is doing, but not being able to do anything about it.

The blonde pulled himself from his bed, and dropped his clothes in the middle of the floor. It wasn't until he pulled his shirt off that he noticed the scratches and bruises that covered his chest and shoulders. Not to mention the older bruises along with the new ones that adorned his legs. Draco's normally flawless; porcelain flesh was spotted with blue, black, and purple bruises, as well as angry red scratches that traveled the length of his back. He shuddered as he stepped into the shower and the searing water found its way into the raw flesh of his scratches. He had to bite his tongue to keep the screams from rolling like thunder out of his throat. He found himself slowly adapting to the liquid fire as it stung his body. Putting some soap on a make-shift washcloth, he scrubbed himself harshly as if his merciless scrubbing would take away all the dirt and memories that plagued his form.

It wasn't until after his twenty minute shower that he was starting to fell better that he realized who had seen as he'd trekked back from the forest and towards his bed. It was Harry Potter.

"Holy shit!" Draco spat as he pulled on his uniform and his robes, "Shit, shit, shit!"

Draco grabbed his bag and tore down the stairs heading for his class. He'd already missed Potions and History of Magic, but Snape would understand; while Binns would just give him extra homework. As he ran up from the dungeon that was Slytherin dorms, and finally reached the main halls, he took a quick glance out the window to see the _Golden Boy_ walking alone in the court yard. "It can't be!" Draco said in sheer delight, "My luck can not be this good!"

Changing directions, he threw himself down the stairs and into the sun lit yard. Harry was going towards the Black Lake, alone. "Yes!" Draco exclaimed as he ran faster.

"Potter!" Draco yelled as he got within earshot of the raven haired boy. "Potter!"

_Not now,_ Harry thought. "Ron, I don't want to talk about it anymore. I already told you what happened." _For the most part, anyways, the rest you just wouldn't believe. _

"Talk about what, Potter? Already told him what?" Draco panted, as he came to a stop beside a very disgruntled looking Harry.

Harry couldn't say anything. He just stood there staring, unblinkingly, at the panting and disheveled blonde boy. Draco was hunched over, his hands on his thighs, his cheeks were pinked and his normally immaculate hair was a mirrored, blonde version of Harry's trade-mark mop. As Harry realized he was staring, he shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest. "What do you want, Malfoy?" _Oh, that was real mature, Harry. Good one._ He thought to himself.

"I just wanted to talk, Har-Potter." Draco muttered.

"I already told you. I'm not going to tell McGonagall what happened last night, as long as you don't tell Snape. About either things."

_Either things? _"What 'either' things, Potter?" Draco hissed demandingly.

_Oh, great. Now he's messing with me._ "What? You don't remember? You've got to be joking, Malfoy." _Or maybe I'm just a horrible kisser. _Harry thought. _Wait! I'm concerned that Malfoy thinks I'm a bad kisser! _

"No, Potter. I don't. I remember coming out of the forest, and you being there, and calling me Ferret… That's it." Draco hated admitting his little problem to anyone, even if it was only a small part of it. But he particularly hated admitting it to Harry Potter.

"Malfoy, what are you playing at!?" Harry was getting agitated now. And it was obvious in those emerald eyes. They glared even more reverently as Harry's frustration increased by Draco's lack of memory.

_Apparently, I did something bad. Shit. _"Harry, I need to tell you something. I need to tell someone. Since you already hate me, I don't see how this could fuck anything up. I…"

Draco was cut off by Harry's look of completely confused. Not to mention that Ron was calling for Draco to get away from Harry. Apparently, in their few moments' conversation they had moved towards each other. But before they could say anything else, Ron had pushed Draco away from Harry, and pointed his wand Draco's chest.

"Get away from him, Ferret." Ron hissed, his brown eyes burning into Draco's flesh.

The blonde could feel his _other_ side roaring awake, shaking its slumber away. Harry could see something going on inside Draco, he could see his eyes swirling like they had the night before. He could also see Draco fighting himself, trying to keep his anger in check.

"It's fine, Ron. We're done here." Harry spat, his anger bubbling more because of his best friend rather than his supposed enemy. "Later, Malfoy." Harry made sure to catch Draco's eye before he left.

Draco growled low in his throat, turned quickly and all but ran up the hill and into the building. His anger bubbled viciously. _There's no way I can go to class. No way._ Instead, he went back to his room and slammed the door as loudly as he could.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Harry had gone to class with Ron, and forced his anger away, laughing when appropriate even. But, when it came time for Dinner, the grudgingly went with his friends. Putting a little food on his plate, he picked at it rather than ate it, his eyes inadvertently scanning the Slytherin table for any sign of the famous blonde hair.

Nothing. Nothing at all.

_Damnit, _Harry thought. _What do I do? _

Lying to his friends, he told them he wasn't feeling well and wanted to go lie down. When Ron asked if he needed help getting back to the Common Room, Harry shook his head and took off to find Draco.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

By now, Draco had become completely bored with the confines of his room, and had ventured back out onto the lawn. Sitting on an old stump, Draco growled in his throat, thoroughly pissed at having the Weasel pull Potter off in the midst of their conversation. The beast inside Draco had finally fallen back into a blissful slumber as he heard someone walking towards him.

Draco knew who it was before the other boy got close enough to hear him speaking. Harry had a unique pattern to his heart beat, not to mention his blood had a very exceptionally intimate flavor, scent, whatever. _How do I know what his blood tastes like? We didn't!? _Draco suddenly remembered. _Shit._ That was rapidly becoming his favorite word. _We did. _

Draco stood up and turned to face the raven haired boy who had finally made it to the edge of the Black Lake. "I kissed you, didn't I?"

"You bit me, too." Harry confessed, to exhausted to fight it, he had just run all over the castle, looking for the blonde.

Fear boiled in Draco's chest, as he closed the gap between the two of them and ran his fingers gently over Harry's neck, pulling a moan from the raven haired Gryffindor. Relief pulsed through Draco, and he closed his eyes, his fingers still playing in Harry's raven locks. "Don't scare me like that, Harry…" Draco whispered, biting his lip softly.

"You did, though – some how you cut my lip. I tasted my own blood." Harry said softly, his hands drawn to Draco's hips.

"We can't do this, Harry… We can't." And Draco kissed him again, pushing him back so they were shaded by a rather large tree. Pressing himself against Harry, Draco moaned as he felt the beast inside him roaring to life, he wouldn't allow it. Not now.

Pulling away from a gasping Harry, Draco dropped into the grass and looked up fleetingly at Harry… "I'm… I'm a vampire, Harry."

_Sorry to leave it like that! Please don't be put off. I wrote this chapter rather hurriedly. I'll update soon, and I promise that the next chapter won't suck completely. Review!_


	3. Keep Your Enimies Close

_Pairing – Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy_

_Words – 1,135 _

_Summery – __Harry wonders the grounds at night, in search of freedom. What he finds shocks him, but brings him back for more._

Harry just looked squarely at the disheveled blonde. Thoughts pulsed inside Harry's head, like electricity through a wire; he couldn't see straight. His body thrummed in a sort of twisted excitement, mixed with a raw fear. Draco – the newly confessed vampire – had cut his lip the previous evening. The raven haired boy was fairly convinced that the "virus" didn't cross that easily, if it was like the books that described the rare condition. Harry and Draco would have had to exchange their blood. Draco would have had to drain Harry and the replace his loss with some of Draco's; it all worked rather awkwardly, really. And since Harry had not taken any of Draco's blood into his body, he should be fine, right? However, something in the look on Draco's face gave him little relief.

Apparently Harry had stood still and was quite for too long, because the fear and impatience only grew in those silver-grey eyes. _Did he not hear me?_ Draco thought, _Or perhaps he thinks I'm making a joke. Merlin, why isn't he saying anything!?_ The Slytherin's patience was growing thin, and with it was the cocoon of sleep that held his Beast.

"Potter, say something?" Draco had meant it as a demand, but his voice came out as a ragged beg.

The Gryffindor shook away the pulsing thoughts controlling the conscience part of his mind and offered a weak smile to the trembling blonde. "Sorry, I was thinking." He mentally bereaved himself, _Wow. That was intelligent. Good job. Maybe the next time you're breathing you should announce that, too._

"Obviously that's hard for you." Spat Draco.

Rage lit behind those optical emeralds, and fire caught on Harry's insides. The grass around them trembled and the sky erupted in an angry flash of lightening. Thunder cracked after the flash, and rumbled mercilessly. The trees around them waved in an eerie manor, as if threatening to split in half.

_Shit_, Draco thought, his eyes shinning with terror, _this must be what Severus and all the other teachers are so afraid of. No wonder… _

Apparently something inside the _Golden Boy _had been shattered when his god father had fallen, and with him had gone the majority of the brunettes self control. As it would seem, Harry had his own Daemons to deal with. Harry had his own Beast.

"Calm down, Potter. I meant no harm." Draco confessed, his voice ragged yet dripping with venom.

Another crack of lightening, right over their heads, followed by a roar of thunder that shook the ground told Draco that his comment did not help. Just then, their placement hit him – they stood between a forty-foot lightening rode masquerading as a tree, and a huge lake. Not good.

_I've gotta do something to calm hid down, shit!! What do I do?_ Draco thought rapidly, and before he could stop himself, he had pressed his lips to Harry's and they were kissing. The terrible storm did not cease, but the air lifted and it was much easier to breathe.

Draco pulled away from a more called Harry, a smile on those normally smirking lips. "I'm sorry, Harry."

"No, no… I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me. Sometimes I just can't stop it, and I lose it. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Draco could feel Harry's magic buzzing about in the air, crackling and fizzling around him. But what shocked him most, was the actual compassion that laced itself in his so called enemies words.

"No, you didn't. I'm fine. But, perhaps you should learn to control that." Contrary to his feelings, Draco smirked. "Because, naturally, I won't be kissing you in classes."

Those emerald eyes rolled, and Harry scoffed. "Oh, please. You know someone else would jump at the chance." The Beast inside Draco growled to life as Harry continued, "Let word get out, 'Piss off Harry Potter and the Only Way to Calm Him is to Kiss Him!' Skeeter would jump through a loop of fiend fire to get that interview." Harry had begun pacing now, his frustration and anger obvious by the persistent cracks of lightening and the strength of the wind picking back up.

Not that Draco minded watching Harry as he paced, as the wind blew his long hair about, as the wind made his raven tendrils whip at his face, and made his robes cling to his buff body, but they were supposed to be talking about Draco. Not Harry.

"Harry," Draco ventured softly.

The pacing raven haired boy stopped and arched a brow, looking over the noticeably terrified blonde.

"Yes?"

"You…" The blonde paused, moving to stand closer to Harry. "You won't say anything, will you?"

The soft, tenderness in Draco's voice tantalized Harry's ears and just as quickly as the thunder storm came, it was gone. If any harshness or anger had been apparent on Harry's face, it vanished as Draco spoke.

The raven haired boy reached out his hand so his fingers could caress the soft, feminine features of the Slytherin Prince. As his fingers slid over the timid blonde's lips, he flinched and pulled away.

"Harry, don't…"

As usual, Harry didn't listen. He placed his fingers beneath the blonde's chin, and pulled him forward. "Hush," Harry murmured, brushing the tip of his thumb across Draco's lips. "I'm not afraid. And no, Draco. I will not tell anyone." Harry whispered, his emerald eyes tracing every inch of Draco's face, imprinting it into his mind. It wasn't normal to see this particular Slytherin scared.

Lately, it didn't take much to frighten the Slytherins. Just mention anything about their parents along with Azkaban in the same sentence, and terror lit through their entire body. Generally, it was amusing. But this one's father was already there, so it made no mind to him. At least, it didn't scare him. It only made him furious.

But, for right now, the Slytherin Prince was resting his slender, pale face in the warm, strong palm of the _Chosen One._ The Prince's steel-grey eyes were closed and his thin, pink lips relaxed into a soft smile. He was picture perfect, and Harry planned to remember it until the day he died.

He didn't really want to break their blissful stance, but Harry knew they couldn't stay like that for long. Someone might see – that would be horrible to explain. Harry reluctantly slid his hand from the deliciously pale face and offered a tender sigh as compensation. "Is this why you've been so easily agitated? Not to mention so pale? Honestly, you've looked rather peaky. Awful, even."

Draco chuckled softly, his silver eyes sparkling in the moonlight. "Harry, you've watched me that closely?" Those eyes gleamed contently.

"Keep your friends close," Harry began, smiling.

"And your enemies closer," Draco finished, stepping against Harry, pressing their lips together.

_Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I liked it a lot. I did, really. Don't forget to review! _


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